Valve stem seal



Feb, 7, 195@ c, MELIDON] I 2A97fi8 VALVE STEM SEAL Filed Oct. 25, 1946 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l HG. i Fi 4 CONSTANHNE MEUDQW HVVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY eb E95@ (5. MELIDONI ZAWLQQ VALVE STEM SEAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed. Oct. 23, 1946 OONSTANTENE MELBDON! INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY ing a central sealing aperture l9 and which is split in a direction tangentially oi the aperture 9 to permit the material around the aperture to overlap even when the sealing aperture I9 is worn. The sealing member I8 is mounted upon the valve stem I5. I provide a cone-shaped housing 20 which fits over the sealing member and in which the sealin member may move axially to compensate for wear thereof.. The sealing member l8 fits tightly around the valve stem l and rests upon the upper end of the valve stem guide iii. The sealing member is held down against the guide It by a helical coil spring 2| having an enlarged upper end 22 which bears at its upper end against the underside of the head of the valve |4.

The lower end of the spring 2| rests in a circularly dished flange 23 at the large end of a bodily intact conical housing or sleeve 24 in which the sealing member I8 is held in frictional engagement. It is important to note that the upper end 25 of the member is projects above the housing or sleeve 24 and that the lower end 25 projects below the said sleeve 24.

The conical sealing member I8 is preferably made from a compressible material which can withstand wear. The tangential split 25 of the sealing member it! permits its continued compression diametrically. When the sealing member is subjected to considerable wear, it is reduced in diameter and compressed due to the resilient pressure of the spring 2| and the compression permits the sealing member to move upwardly axially into and through the conical housing 22 while retaining its sealing grip on the valve stem and on the valve stem guide.

It is to be noted that the smallest openin in the housings is considerably larger than the diameter of valve stems which have an enlargement at the free end of the valve stem and will readily pass over such enlargement (not shown).

Figures 5 to 8 inclusive show a modified, valve stem sealing device 30 which is shown in operating relation with a cylinder block 3! comprising a valve seat 32 and anvintake passage 33 which leads to an intake manifold. The valve seat 32 is closed by means of a valve 34 having a stem 35 .iournaled in the valve stem guide 36.

To seal the valve stem 35 and prevent leakage around the stem, I provide a conically shaped graphite sealing member 38 having a central sealing aperture 39 and which is split in a direction tangentially of the aperture 39'to permit the material around the aperture to overlap even when the sealing aperture 39 is worn. The sealing member 38 is mounted upon the valve stem 35.

The sealing member 38 fits tightly around the valve stem 35 and rests upon the upper end of the valve stem guide 35. The sealing member is held down against the guide 36 by a compound coil spring 4| having an enlarged open coil helical upper end 42 which bears at its upper end against the underside of the head of the valve 34.

The middle portion 43 of the spring 4| is of cylindrical shape. The lower portion of the spring 4! has its coils closely wound to provide a closed coil spring housing portion .44 of conical form, with the large end of the housing forming the lower end of the spring.

The lower end or housing end of the spring 4| rests on the sealing member 38 in frictional engagement. It is important to note that the upper end 45 of the sealingm'ember 38 projects above the housing 44 and that the lower end 46 projects below the housing 44. It is to be noted that the largest diameter coil of the cone-shaped spring housing 44 stops considerably short of the lower end face of the sealing member 38.

The conical sealing member 38 is preferably made from a material which can withstand wear. The tangential split 41 of the sealing member 38 permits its continued compression diametrically. When the sealing member is subjected to considerable wear, it is reduced in diameter and compressed due to the resilient pressure of the spring 4| and the compression permits the sealing member to move upwardly axially into and through the spring housing portion 44 into the middle portion 43 while retaining its sealing grip on the valve stem and on the valve stem guide.

It is to be noted that the conical housings 24 and 44 in which the sealing members l8 and 38 are housed have their walls directed along straight lines. This linear arrangement is also evident by looking at the outer contour of the sealing members. Both the housings and the sealing members have their outer peripheries lying along the same angular inclination so that there is prearranged easy sliding when a sealin'l member is within a housing. This arrangement is ver important because if the housing walls were made of irregular or curved cross-section and differing from the straight line form shown herewith, there would be no relative motion between these members. This would defeat the purpose of the present invention, the gist of which is to make it possible for the respective sealing members to easily slide out of its housing to compensate for wear on the valve stem.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described and illustrated the preferred embo'diments of my invention, but it will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims:

I claim:

1. In a wear compensating seal for a valve stem, a pre-formed cone shaped split sealing member, a compound coil spring having aconical closed coil housing portion enclosing and contacting the smaller end portion of said sealing member for maintaining the surfaces at the split of said sealing member in abutting relation, said spring having a compressible conical open coil portion adapted to cause a pressure on said sealing member and compression of said member against said valve stem to compensate for wear of said sealing member, the largestdiameter coil of said cone shaped closed coil housing portion of said spring stopping short of the larger end face of said conical sealing member to permit continued upward movement of said sealing member into said housing portion of'said spring for further compressing said sealing member and compensating for wear of said sealing member.

2. In a wear compensating seal for a .valve stem, a pre-formed cone shaped split sealing member, a compound coil spring having a conical closed coil housing portion enclosing and contacting the smaller end portion of said sealing member for maintaining the surfaces at the split of said sealing member in abutting relation, said spring having a compressible conical open coil portion adapted to cause a pressure on said sealing member and compression of said member against said valve stem to compensate for wear of said sealing member, said spring having 9. cylindrical middle portion intermediate said conical portions large enough to permit the small end portion of said sealing member to move upwardly of said spring, the largest diameter coil of said cone shaped closed coil housing portion of said spring stopping short of the larger end face of said conical sealing member to permit continued upward movement of said sealing member into said housing portion of said spring and into said cylindrical middle portion for further compressing said sealing member and compensating for wear of said sealing member.

CONSTANTINE MELIDONI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

